To agree the property services 2022/25 estates capital programme and the programme of residual improvement works from the 2019 estates condition reports.

The proposed programme of works as set out in appendix A and appendix B, incorporates a series of planned project works that enables the council to deliver on its obligations to maintain buildings fit for purpose utilising £4,398,561 capital budget subject to approval at council budget meeting of 11 February 2022.

That:

a)    the estates capital programme 2022/25 as set out in appendix A and the programme of works for the residual improvement works from the 2019 estates condition reports as set out in appendix B be approved at a combined total cost of not more than £4,398,561;

b)    the director for resources and assurance be authorised to take all operational decisions necessary to implement the above recommendation and spend within the approved overall budget of £3,007,000 for the projects as listed in appendix A, and £1,391,561 for projects listed in appendix B provided that the sum of individual project expenditure do not exceed the overall budgets;

c)    the director for resources and assurance be authorised to realign uncommitted budget between projects listed in Appendix A and those listed in Appendix B and to take all operational decisions necessary to spend within the approved overall budget of £3,007,000 for projects in appendix A and £1,391,561 for projects in appendix B provided that the sum of expenditure does not exceed the overall budgets; and

d)    the director for resources and assurance be authorised to take all operational decisions necessary to implement the expenditure of the Property Estates Enhancement Works-Emergency budget on emergency works as they arise.

1.             If there is no investment in the council’s property portfolio through expenditure on a programme of capital improvement work, property assets will both degrade and depreciate which will have a negative bearing on the condition of the estate and fail to protect the value of the council’s property assets.

2.             A lack of investment in capital work to the council’s estate assets would ultimately lead to their deterioration which will eventually make the assets no longer fit for their intended purpose. In turn this will have an impact on any services located in such properties, to the extent that they may have to be closed and service delivery would be severely impacted.

3.             Absence of capital investment through improvement works to buildings that are leased by the council would render those properties unlettable because they are either non-compliant or are not fit for occupation which will result in a subsequent loss of revenue to the council and potential breach of statutory and legal obligations.

4.             Not investing capital in our assets means that we will not be able to improve them or their components and apply new or updated strategies and policies of the Council such as strategic asset planning and low carbon management

5.             Deferring capital investment will merely lead to further deterioration of estate assets which in turn is likely to mean that investment costs will increase over time in line with inflation i.e. building and labour costs. The required improvement works have been assessed and prioritised based upon select criteria which covers health & safely, operational need/impact and lifecycle/value. Investment is therefore targeted and spent on the assets requiring work rather than other property assets that are considered less eligible.